-
Cameron Brink #22 of the Stanford Cardinal drives to the basket against Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Cameron Brink #22 of the Stanford Cardinal drives against Emily Bessoir #11 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins brings the ball up the court against the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Kiana Williams #23 of the Stanford Cardinal comes up with a loose ball against Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins as Lexie Hull #12 of the Cardinal defends during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Kiana Williams #23 of the Stanford Cardinal comes up with a loose ball against Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Head coach Cori Close of the UCLA Bruins reacts as here team takes on the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots as Stanford guard Kiana Williams (23) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
Haley Jones #30 of the Stanford Cardinal drives against Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins brings the ball up the court against the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Haley Jones #30 of the Stanford Cardinal shoots against Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Head coach Tara VanDerveer of the Stanford Cardinal reacts as her team takes on the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Emily Bessoir #11 of the UCLA Bruins and Anna Wilson #3 of the Stanford Cardinal scramble for a loose ball during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots as Stanford forward Ashten Prechtel (11) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
Stanford guard Lacie Hull, right, and UCLA guard Charisma Osborne (20) reach for the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
Stanford guard Kiana Williams (23) shoots as UCLA forward Emily Bessoir (11) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
Stanford guard Lexie Hull (12) shoots as UCLA guard Charisma Osborne (20) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
UCLA forward Michaela Onyenwere (21) shoots as Stanford forward Francesca Belibi (5) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Anna Wilson #3 of the Stanford Cardinal drives against Natalie Chou #23 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: A trainer checks on Charisma Osborne #20 of the UCLA Bruins after she was hurt on a play against the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Lauryn Miller #33 of the UCLA Bruins drives to the basket against Francesca Belibi #5 of the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Haley Jones #30 of the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins shoots against Kiana Williams #23 of the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins drives against Ashten Prechtel #11 of the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Dominique Darius #2 of the UCLA Bruins loses the ball under pressure from Lacie Hull #24 and Cameron Brink #22 of the Stanford Cardinal during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
UCLA head coach Cori Close instructs her team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Stanford in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
UCLA forward Lauryn Miller (33) shoots as Stanford forward Ashten Prechtel (11) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
UCLA guard Charisma Osborne (20) reaches for the ball as Stanford forward Cameron Brink (22) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Lexie Hull #12 of the Stanford Cardinal drives against Michaela Onyenwere #21 of the UCLA Bruins during the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Cardinal defeated the Bruins 75-55. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
-
Stanford guard Kiana Williams (23) reacts after sinking a three-point basket during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against UCLA in the Pac-12 women’s tournament championship Sunday, March 7, 2021, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Isaac Brekken)
-
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 07: Head coach Tara VanDerveer (front) of the Stanford Cardinal and her team celebrate on the court after their 75-55 victory over the UCLA Bruins to win the championship game of the Pac-12 Conference women’s basketball tournament at Michelob ULTRA Arena on March 7, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
UCLA head coach Cori Close pinched her forehead, stared at the black tablecloth and broke down in tears. Her excess passion at UCLA’s post-game press conference was caused, in part, by what she perceived as a dearth of passion in her team that evening.
Kiana Williams scored 26 points and Lexie Hull had 24 to lead top-seeded Stanford to a 75-55 rout of the fourth-seeded Bruins in the Pac-12 Tournament championship on Sunday night at Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas.
Michaela Onyenwere led the Bruins with a game-high 30 points.
“Really, really proud of her and, definitely, I think she showed out. And we let her down quite frankly,” Close said as tears crept in. “And I take first responsibility that. I’m the head coach, the buck stops with me and we let her down.”
The Cardinal (25-2) found momentum early and used 3-point shooting to get ahead. Stanford shot 50% from long range for 12 points in the first quarter and added a six-point scoring run to close out the first with a 24-11 lead over the Bruins (16-5).
Onyenwere scored 13 of UCLA’s 20 points in the opening half as the Cardinal defense continued to limit the Bruins. She pulled up for back-to-back jumpers as the clock reached the 3-minute mark, but Stanford headed into the break with a 43-20 lead.
“We didn’t really come out the way that we knew we could,” Onyenwere said. “And so that was just pretty tough, getting into the rhythm of things, but I think the second half we kind of showed what type of fight that we do have.”
Upon returning to the court, the Bruins began to chip away at Stanford’s advantage by going on a six-point scoring run, then a five-point run.
A deep 3-pointer from Charisma Osborne (11 points, five rebounds), who had just returned to the game after an apparent ankle injury earlier in the quarter, energized the bench as UCLA went on to outscore the Cardinal 20-11 in the third quarter.
“We won the second half. That’s what’s so frustrating, but I think it teaches us what we can become,” Close said. “But time’s running out and the bottom line is we’ve got to choose quick, and I think there’s more in them, and hopefully the pain of this is the most powerful teacher.”
The Bruins’ comeback attempt continued with Natalie Chou draining a 3-pointer to start the fourth quarter, but Stanford outscored UCLA 21-15 in the frame to cruise to the win.
Haley Jones posted a double-double for Stanford with 10 points and 13 rebounds.
The Selection Show for the NCAA Tournament is scheduled for Monday, March 15 at 4 p.m. PT (ESPN) with first-round games scheduled to begin on March 21. The entire tournament will be played in San Antonio this year.
“When we’re knocked down, we’re not knocked down for too long,” Onyenwere said. “We’re going to go back in the film, find ways to get better because we have a lot of basketball left to play.”
from Irvine Business Signs https://ift.tt/3sZuN1T
via Irvine Sign Company
